


Voices

by marksmom



Series: Voices [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Implied Slash, Language, M/M, Major Character Death (Sort of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-22
Updated: 2012-04-22
Packaged: 2017-11-04 02:26:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/388663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marksmom/pseuds/marksmom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prequel to 'Having My Say...'  How Harrison Evan Potter-Black came to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Voices

He was being called again; it was fairly close to the last time so he knew that it had been bad this time. He slowly pushed his way to the front and asked his question.

_Are you calling me?_

"Yes." The voice was a small whisper of sound, so that the boy wasn't overheard.

_What happened now? What did he use this time?_

"I didn't get done with the weeding. It was the belt."

_Did you try?_

"Yes, as hard as I could, but it wasn't fast enough. He came home from work early."

_Probably so that you **couldn't** finish, you know that, right?_

"I know...he does that all the time."

_Did she try to stop him?_

"No, Aunt 'Tunia just stood and watched." The tears in the six year-old's voice would have been enough to bring an adult to their knees, but the other boy had been hearing them for two years now...he was used to it.

_What about Dudley?_

"Aunt 'Tunia made him stay in his room, so he wouldn't see it. He knows, I think."

_Of course he does...why do you think he does it, too?_

"I don't know...I wish he didn't...I just want a friend."

_You don't want him as your friend._

 ~OOooOO~

_Harry? What happened? What's wrong?_

"I turned Mrs. Phillips' hair blue."

_Which one was it this time?_

"The cane."

_Ouch! Hold still, let me look._

"Okay."

_Alright, just hold still for a minute...I can't heal them all, just the really bad ones, Okay? He'll notice if I heal all of them._

"Okay." The eight year old stiffened in pain, but didn't move otherwise as the other boy healed what he could of the bloody cane marks.

_There, it should be less painful now._

"Thanks...you know...I don't know your name. I've been talking to you for years now and I don't know your name."

_Tell you what, why don't we play a game? You tell me what you think my name is, and I'll tell you if you're right._

"Um...Harrison, I think your name is Harrison." The other boy smiled...now he had a name.

_Wow, Harry! You're good! You got it right on the first try...my name is Harrison._

"Good, now I know what to call you."

 ~OOooOO~

"Harrison?"

_Yes, Harry?_

"We have a problem."

_What is it?_

"Got a letter today...addressed to me...in the cupboard under the stairs."

_Oh, shite! How did Vernon take it?_

"Not well. He didn't do anything yet, but you know he will later."

_Yeah, I know. So how are we going to deal with this? Do you think it will be as bad as the time with the snake?_

"I don't know, Harrison, I don't know."

 ~OOooOO~

"Harrison, you know you're not supposed to be here! I'm gonna get it now! Why did you have to try to get one of the letters?"

_They're **your** letters, I was only trying to help!_

"I know, I'm sorry for yelling at you."

_It's alright, Harry...besides, we didn't even get to see what the letter said. What's that noise?_

" _ **BOY!**_ Get some clothing together and get out here!"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon"..."What do you think is going on?"

_I don't know, but you'd better do what he says. I'm going to take a nap now...don't want to get you into more trouble._

"Alright, Harrison. I'll talk to you later."

 ~OOooOO~

_Wow! Is he huge! He didn't look that big last night!_

"Shhh...I don't want him to know about you. You're my only friend."

_Fine, I'll talk, you just listen, okay?_

"Okay." Harry followed Hagrid out of the door of the hut on the rock and down to the boat.

_Remember when I told you that we were different? Well, this is what I meant. All these years, Petunia and Vernon have been lying to you. You knew we could do things that no one else could...it means that we're wizards. This Dumbledore person he keeps talking about...I wonder if he's the old man that was watching us? But if it was him, that means he knows about the hitting and stuff. Do you really think that someone would leave us in an abusive house?_

Harry shook his head negatively and let Harrison keep on talking, working out his thoughts verbally.

_I wonder if this Hogwarts will be good for both of us? I hope so._

"Me, too, Harrison...me, too."

 ~OOooOO~

***Oh My! There are two of you in there! That's interesting!***

_Shhh! They'll hear you!_

***Oh, don't worry about them; they can't hear me, only you two can...now...where to put the two of you?***

_Where do you think would work the best?_

***Hmm...well, I think that Slytherin would be for the best for you, Harrison, but not for Harry. He would do much better in Gryffindor.***

_Then that's where you need to put us. No one is supposed to know about me._

***But that's not fair to you! You are both very intelligent, but you are, by far, the more cunning of the two.***

_I can still be cunning while Harry's in Gryffindor...in fact, it will hone my skills._

***Well, if your sure...better be...* _"GRYFFINDOR!"_** (1)

 ~OOooOO~

"Use the boy...use the boy..." (1)

_Harry, you have to let me do this! You're not up to it right now._

Harry nodded and let Harrison step in front of him.

Harrison used his skill for lying and, somehow, ended up with the Philosopher's Stone in his pocket. The face on the back of Professor Quirrel's head figured it out, though, and got angry. After a fight where he touched as much of Professor Quirrel's skin as he could, a spirit left Professor Quirrel's body and flew through his own.

_Harry? I've got to rest now...you take over._

 ~OOooOO~

_Harry...Harry! You have to wake up! Ronald's at the window...Wait! How is he at the window?_

After Fred, George and Ron got Harry's things and Hedwig out of Number 4 Privet Drive, Harry relaxed against the seat of the blue Ford Anglia that Fred was driving...well, _**FLYING**_ actually. Harrison's voice was still going a mile a minute. 

_How the **HELL** could they risk getting seen by muggles? Why would they risk it? What if Vernon tells Dumbledore about this? You know we're going to get into so much trouble for this...as if it wasn't bad enough to get that warning about underage magic! What happens when we go back next summer? When McGonagall hears about this..._

Harry thumped his head against the window, trying to tell Harrison to stop without actually saying anything. It wouldn't do for Ron or his brothers to find out about him.

_Oh, alright, alright! I'll shut up now. Thanks for letting me rant._

Harry nodded slightly, getting a strange look from Ron in return.

 ~OOooOO~

_Where the Hell did Malfoy learn that spell? Shooting snakes out of his wand?_

**~Shhh! Oh No! The snake's going after Justin!~** Harry had figured out how to speak with Harrison without opening his mouth when he went to the Burrow over the summer. There was no privacy in that house, so he'd had to find out a way to do it; he wasn't going to go without talking to his best friend.

_Well, we have to stop it...somehow...tell it to leave him alone_

_...Um, Harry? What language was that?_

 ~OOooOO~

**~Why did you have to blow up Aunt Marge? We're going to get expelled!~**

_She was insulting our parents! I wasn't going to let her get away with that! You know she deserved it...c'mon, admit it...she deserved it!_

**~Well, okay, yes she deserved it, but...~**

_No buts! She deserved it! Hey...look over there. No, the other way, in that alley. What's that?_

**~I don't know, but we'd better get out of here~**

_Watch where you're going...we're going to fall!_

"Ouch!"

_**ROLL OVER, HARRY! GET OUT OF THE WAY!** _

 ~OOooOO~

_Harry? C'mon Harry...wake up! Harry, please?_ If anyone ever called him on this, Harrison would deny begging until the end of his days.  _Harry? Oh good, you're coming around. Are you alright?_

**~I think so...what happened?~**

_That thing in the doorway...it felt like it was sucking all the warmth out of us. I heard screaming...did you?_

**~Yeah, I heard it. I wonder who it was.~**

Harry let Ron and Hermione help him back onto the seat and just sat there, shaking and sweating. He had never had that kind of reaction to anything before. Professor RJ Lupin gave him a chunk of chocolate to eat, but he just sat there and held it. He let the conversations flow around him as he made sure that both he and Harrison were alright.

**~Are you alright?~**

_I think so...kind of shaky, though. How about you?_

**~The same. I want to know what that thing was.~**

_Me, too. If one of those things can have that kind of effect on us, can you imagine what several would do?_

Harry shivered, trying not to think about it.  **~I don't want to know.~**

 ~OOooOO~

**~I'm glad that Sirius got away safely.~**

_Me, too. Do you think he was telling the truth? That he really wants us to live with him?_

**~I hope so, I think that would be brilliant!~**

_Yeah...but would you tell him about me?_

**~I...I don't know. I might, if I can trust him...and if you say I can.~**

_Well, right now, I would say no. I mean, we just met him and we don't know if we can trust him._

**~You're right, as usual. So, no to telling Sirius about you.~**

Harrison nodded. Telling someone about their strange symbiotic relationship would be awkward at best and dangerous at worst. There was no telling how Sirius Black would react to the knowledge that Harry shared his body with another boy.

 ~OOooOO~

_**WHO** **is** **THAT**?_

**~I don't know...going to assume he's related to Ron, though...look at the hair.~**

_Yeah...he's gorgeous! Just gorgeous!_

"Harry, meet my brother Charlie"

"It's nice to finally meet the friend that Ron's been talking about for years."

Harry blushed and could sense Harrison fanning his face. "It's nice to meet you, too. Ron's told me a lot about you. Do you really work with dragons?"

_Nice! Keep him talking!_

"Yeah, nasty buggers sometimes, but I love working with them. They have their own beauty...in a dangerous kind of way."

_Oh God! That voice!_ Harrison was practically drooling and Harry had to stifle a laugh at his friend. Harry sat at the table and kept talking to Charlie until it was time for dinner. The man was extremely interesting and Harry was happy that Harrison had found someone to concentrate on. Mrs. Weasley, however, was not happy that Harry seemed to be entranced by Charlie's tales of life on the dragon reserve in Romania; she tried her damnedest to keep them apart, upsetting Harrison greatly.

_Who the hell does that bint think she is? We have no interest in Ginevra Weasley; when have we **ever** shown any kind of interest in a **girl**?_

**~You know I've told her that I'm gay...I told you what happened with that; she just brushed it off, like it was not a concern. I'm kind of scared of what she might do.~**

_What do you mean?_

**~What if she tries to force me to be with Ginny?~**

_**HELL NO!** I won't let that happen...you know I won't!_

Harry smiled slightly.  **~I know...thank you!~**

 ~OOooOO~

_Harry? What is it? What's wrong?_

**~M-Molly!~**

_What about the bitch?_

**~I tried talking to her again. She told me that I'm The Boy Who Lived...I'm not allowed to be gay!~**

_That's a load of shite! You know damn well that she's planning on you marrying her slag of a daughter...she's determined. Too bad for her, I'm determined, too!_

 ~OOooOO~

"Ron! You know I didn't put my name in there!"

"Isn't the fame you have enough for you? Do you have to rub it in that you get whatever you want? Why didn't you tell me that you were going to put your name in the goblet?"

" _**RON!** _ Listen to yourself...first thing, I couldn't put my name in the goblet; I'm not old enough. Second, I like life a little too much to do something suicidal like that."

"I notice that you didn't deny the whole fame thing!"

"Why should I bother? You don't believe me anyway, so why bother trying? But, since you want to hear me say it, yet again... _**I DON'T WANT THE FAME!** _ You can even have the shite I've already got...I'm sick of it!" Harry turned around and walked away from his friend. As soon as he found a dark alcove, he sank to his knees and gave in to the tears. "I didn't want this...I didn't want this!"

_Harry, you need to calm down! Everything's going wonky up here._

**~Sorry, Harrison. Ron's just got me so mad. I can't believe that he thinks I really wanted to compete in this thing!~**

_He's jealous, Harry; you know that! He can't think past the fact that your name ended up in there; he doesn't care if he hurts you. You always knew he was jealous of the fame._

**~Yeah, but I don't want it! I never did!~**

_I know, Harry. I hate to say this, but we have bigger things to worry about right now...like how we're going to stay alive through this!_

 ~OOooOO~

"Harry, you need to stop; I can't concentrate with you yammering away in the background."

~ **Sorry, Harrison. I'm scared...DRAGONS! How are we going to beat a dragon?~**

"I don't know...let me think."

"Harry?" Charlie watched the younger wizard carefully; he was behaving oddly. "Harry...Harry!" Charlie walked up behind Harry and listened as he talked to himself.

"Harry, stop it! Listen to me...I'm going to try everything I can so that we come out of this alive, okay? How, I don't know yet, but I'll figure something out."

_'We?'_ thought Charlie.  _'Who's WE?'_ He continued to listen and gradually began to realise that Harry wasn't exactly himself right then. The voice was slightly deeper and had a different inflection to the tone, a sarcastic edge. The younger man still hadn't realised Charlie was there, so he hesitantly touched his arm; Harry jumped and spun around, wand drawn and pointing at Charlie's chest.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Um...myself. I do that sometimes to...um...work things out." Harrison stumbled over his words, unnerved by the fact that Charlie had been able to sneak up behind him; what if it had been someone else? Then he realised just how close Charlie actually was.

"Right. You want to explain, then, how your voice is deeper and doesn't sound quite right? And do you always talk to yourself like you're standing in front of yourself?"

Harrison made a split-second decision; he was going to tell Charlie about himself. He grabbed Charlie's hand and pulled him to the side of the clearing they were in; he cast a disillusionment spell along with a Muffliato charm and began to speak.

"You're not going to believe me, but I'll swear on my magic that what I'm going to tell you is the truth...do you want my oath?" Charlie nodded. "I, Harrison Evan Potter, do swear on my magic that what I'm about to tell Charlie Weasley is the complete truth. So I have spoken, so let it be." A flash of white light shot out of the end of his wand and enveloped him.

"Wait...Harrison Evan Potter? That's not your name."

"My name is Harrison Evan Potter." He held up his wand. "Lumos" The tip of his wand glowed bright white. "Nox. I know you have no idea what's going on, but please hear me out, alright?"

Charlie nodded again and listened to what Harrison told him. Several times he almost interrupted Harrison, but he kept his mouth shut and continued to listen. The story that he heard was almost impossible to believe...except...he  _**did** _ believe it.

"Can Harry come back or is it just you?"

"If he wants to, he can. Right now, he's petrified because of the dragons."

"You definitely have a different personality than Harry does." Charlie nodded. "Alright, I believe you. What are you going to do?"

"Well, you're the only one who knows about me, so I'd like you to swear that you won't tell anyone."

Charlie gave his oath and smiled at the younger man. Harrison's personality was radically different than the shy Harry. "So, do you come out often, or is it mostly Harry?"

"Usually it's Harry, but, ever since his name came out of the goblet, I've been shoved in front more and more. He's terrified and doesn't know how to handle Ronald at this point."

"Ron? What's he done?"

"Accused Harry of putting his name in the goblet, even though we're only fourteen. He's jealous of Harry's fame, the fame that Harry wants nothing to do with."

"Tell you what, let me help you with this. I've seen you fly and I have an idea."

From that moment on, Charlie Weasley started to fall in love with Harrison Evan Potter. He always knew which one was in front by how they stood; Harry's shoulder's slumped slightly, like he was trying to curl in on himself, and Harrison stood straight and proud, like there was nothing he couldn't do. Charlie decided to transfer to the dragon reserve in Scotland, on the Isle of Skye.

 ~OOooOO~

Harrison was panicking, something he rarely, if ever, did. Harry had been in front when he and Cedric had grabbed the Tri-Wizard Cup and been portkeyed to this cemetery; it was like Harry was locked there and Harrison couldn't get out. He'd had to watch as Cedric was killed and the ritual to bring Voldemort back to life began. Pettigrew had taken blood from Harry before Harrison could even think to tell Harry to calm down. Now, the newly regenerated Voldemort was taunting Harry; Voldemort pressed a finger to Harry's scar and suddenly Harrison found himself in front again.

The switch shocked them both and, for a moment, Voldemort as well. He knew something had changed about the boy when he touched the scar, but he couldn't figure out what it was. It didn't really matter...he was going to kill the boy now anyway. As soon as he had released the boy from his bindings, however, he ran to the body of the other boy, summoned the cup and was gone. 

~OOooOO~

Charlie was flipping out; no matter who he asked, no one had any idea of what had happened to Harrison and Cedric Diggory. He was getting ready to start cursing people when Harrison reappeared at the edge of the maze, clutching Cedric Diggory. Charlie took one look at the Diggory boy and knew he was dead; Harrison was crying and saying something about someone being back. Charlie couldn't get close enough to Harrison before he was whisked away by Alastor Moody; he followed them and heard the old Auror's tale. Charlie stunned Moody and, after making sure Harrison was alright, went to get Dumbledore. He didn't bother listening to anything else, just made sure that Harrison was going to be fine and accompanied him to the infirmary.

He pulled Harrison into his arms and cradled him carefully. "Are you both alright?"

"I think so...right now Harry's locked himself down, but I think we'll be fine...eventually."

"What happened?"

"Not now...Please Charlie, not now!"

Charlie could hear the tears in Harrison's voice and pulled him close again. Poppy Pomfrey, seeing how calm Charlie was keeping her patient, pulled a screen around his bed, closing them off from sight.

 ~OOooOO~

_Harry?_

_Harry?_

_Harry, are you alright?_

_Please answer me Harry..._

_Harry?_

_Just hang on for me, alright? Please Harry, just hang on._

_Harry?_

 ~OOooOO~

It was now the first week in August and Harrison had been in front since the third task on 24 June. It was hard for him to pretend to be the Golden Boy; Harry was much better at it than he was. Both he and Charlie had tried to get Harry to unlock himself, but had not had any success; Sirius was starting to get suspicious of all the time that Charlie spent with Harrison, who he thought was Harry. Finally, getting tired of not receiving a satisfactory answer, Sirius cornered Harrison in his room.

"You want to tell me what's going on, Harry?"

Harrison was torn; on one hand, he wanted to let his godfather in on the secret, on the other, he was scared that Sirius would reject him for it. Looking up into the concerned grey eyes, Harrison decided that, since Harry was on lock-down, he needed to take Sirius into his confidence.

"Could you lock and silence the room, please?"

Sirius raised one eyebrow, but did as he was asked. "Alright Harry, what's wrong?"

"Well, I don't know how you're going to take this, but I'm not exactly Harry."

The other eyebrow rose to join the first. "How can you not exactly be Harry?"

Harrison told Sirius about their childhood; he had to stop him from leaving more than once before he was done. Sirius stood still in the middle of the room, seething with anger; those muggles had dared to hurt his godson...hurt him so badly that his mind had split into two radically different personalities to protect his sanity.

"Sirius?" Harrison hung his head; he had known this would happen. Charlie was the only one who had accepted them both for who they were; he should have kept his mouth shut with Sirius.  _'Figures...the one time I act like a damn Gryffindor, something bad happens.'_

"No, Harry...sorry, Harrison...I'm not upset with you. I can't believe that Dumbledore could be so careless, to allow something like this to happen. I'm not mad at you or Harry."

Harrison raised his eyes and met his godfather's again. "You're sure? I'm far more Slytherin than Harry is."

"Houses don't matter...not when it comes to my godson...godsons, plural." Sirius smiled and pulled Harrison into his arms. "Don't worry about it, Harrison; we'll find a way to bring Harry back."

 ~OOooOO~

_Harry?_

_Harry, please talk to me!_

**~Mmm?~**

_Harry! Harry, where have you been?_

**~Couldn't deal with it.~** Harry's voice was quiet, far more quiet than normal. Harrison had known that the episode in the graveyard had affected Harry badly, but he hadn't realised how much until now.

_Are you going to come back now?_

**~I-I think so...not really sure.~**

_Just so you know, I told Sirius._

**~How did he take it?~**

_He was angry that Dumbledore could allow that to happen to us._

**~Does he consider us an 'us' or is he just saying that?~**

_No, he accepts it. He's been researching with me and Charlie to see if we could find a way to bring you back from wherever you had gone. You've been gone for a while._

**~What's the date?~**

_Tomorrow's Hallowe'en._

** ~ _WHAT?_ ~ **

_You've been gone since 24 June, Harry._

**~...joking...you've got to be joking~**

_I wish I were. I've been terrified that you weren't coming back. I'm not sure I can do this alone._

**~But you're far stronger than I could ever hope to be~**

_No, my other half, I'm not. We complement each other. Together we make one._

**~I don't understand~**

_There's a reason we share a body, Harry. You are all that is good and innocent; I am the one with the cunning and sneakiness. You are the one that people trust while I am the one that lies to get them to trust us to begin with. If necessary, I could probably seduce someone to get them to do what I want; I don't think you could do that to save your life._

The sound of Harry's laughter filled Harrison's head.  **~No, I know I couldn't.~**

_Well, at least I got you to laugh. Do you want to be in front for a bit? I think we could probably get Sirius here, if you wanted._

**~Get him here or get us there and I'll be in front until it's time to go.~**

_Done!_ Harrison smiled for the first time since June.

 ~OOooOO~

Sirius was dead.

Harry had retreated again after Sirius' death in the Death Chamber in the Department of Mysteries; Harrison knew that, this time, it was likely to be permanent. Somehow, Charlie had known that he needed him and had shown up at Privet Drive two days after Harrison had returned. Against the Dursley's arguments, Charlie had moved into Harrison's bedroom and stayed there. One good thing about his presence was the effect it had on the Dursleys; they didn't mistreat Harrison, didn't make him do chores...basically ignored him. Charlie knew that Harrison and Harry had looked on Sirius as they would a father and his death was devastating to them both; he was helping Harrison accept his grief and get past it, as much as he was able. They both tried working with Harry, but he was inconsolable; Sirius was the first adult who had really treated him well and his death tore Harry apart. 

The three spent a lot of time discussing what had to happen. Just before Harrison had been sent back to Privet Drive, he had overheard Dumbledore telling Severus Snape that Harry had to die in order for Voldemort to be killed completely. In the scar on Harry's forehead was a piece of Voldemort's soul; Harry and Harrison were a walking horcrux. They made plans to finish out their seventh year at Hogwarts and then seek out Voldemort to end the war. Harry told them that he wanted to be in front as little as possible, only when it was necessary or when Harrison couldn't pretend well enough to fool anyone.

Their sixth year passed relatively uneventfully...

 ~OOooOO~

By the summer after Harrison's sixth year, he and Charlie were very much in love; they were making plans to bond on 1 August, the day after Harrison's seventeenth birthday. He would be considered an adult and Charlie could say that he was taking Harrison to get his apparation license. They also made plans with Harry to sign everything over to his twin brother, Harrison. They had made a family tree, just to see if Harrison would appear; his name was inked in right next to Harry's, as his twin brother Harrison Evan Potter.

On 1 August, Charlie took Harrison and Harry to Gringotts first; Harry was in front and, when asked, provided a blood sample to prove who he was. The goblins were very helpful, seeming to realise that the young man in front of them no longer had a reason for living; what seventeen year old writes out a will and signs everything over to his brother, unless he knows he's going to die. Sirius' will was read; Harry and Harrison were to share the Black family fortune equally; in order to inherit, though, they had to change their last name to Potter-Black. Harry did so immediately, stating that he would send his brother in later that day, as Harrison had some business he was attending to.

Harry and Charlie left Gringotts and slipped into a side alley where Harrison moved in front and they went to the Ministry for Harrison's apparation license and to be bonded. Both ventures went smoothly; no one even questioned the existence of another Potter boy who looked just like their saviour. After everything was taken care of, Harrison and Charlie went back to Gringotts and took care of Harrison's part of Sirius' will. The goblins also took care of sending paperwork to the Ministry confirming the name change for both Harrison and Charlie, so that their bonding would be registered under the correct names...Charlie was now Charles Adam Potter-Black. They had a year to consummate the bond, so they decided to wait until it was all over; they didn't want to traumatise Harry.

 ~OOooOO~

The start of term for Harry and Harrison's seventh year was memorable. Draco Malfoy had declared himself to be neutral and had begged Dumbledore for asylum at Hogwarts; in exchange, he gave information on the current Death Eaters and their movements. Ron, Hermione and Harrison got into a spectacular row the first night in Gryffindor Tower; it created a rift that would never be healed.

_Harry?_

**~Hmm?~**

_I'm sorry for arguing with Ronald and Hermione._

**~Don't be...they haven't really been my friends since Sirius' death.~**

_What? Why not?_

**~One of the few times I was in front last term, I overheard Ron and Hermione talking. They were saying that it seemed like I was trying to get them killed so that I didn't have to share the fame with them.~**

_**WHAT?** I'll kill them!_

**~No, you won't...they're not worth the trouble. Let them go...I know they were your friends, too, but let them go.~**

_...why would they say something like that?_ Harrison's voice was soft and sad; it was a tone that Harry very rarely heard from his twin.

**~Ron's always been a jealous git, you know that. Hermione...I don't know about her, but I think that she's under the impression that being my friend will get her a place in the Ministry after graduation. You're not to help either one of them after I'm gone; is that understood?~**

_I understand._ That soft note was still in Harrison's voice and Harry realised it was because he was talking about dying.

**~Don't mourn me yet, Brother. I'm still here.~**

_I can't help it. We've been there for each other since we were four years old...thirteen years. What am I going to do when you're not here for me to talk to any more?_

**~You'll talk to your husband, that's what! You have Charlie now.~**

_Yeah, but he's not you. He's not my brother._

 ~OOooOO~

"You know what? You've changed so much this year, Harry; I don't know you any more."

"What do you expect, Ron? I've got a madman out after me, trying to kill me every chance he gets...that would change anyone!"

"But not like this, it's like you're a completely different person."

_Oops! Guess I didn't hide it well enough._

"So what if I am? You're not the same person you were when you started here either!"

_Definitely not!_

"Yeah, I don't ignore my friends for fame and glory!"

" **_HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I DON'T WANT THE FAME!_ ** You can have it!"

Ron leaned into Harry's personal space. "I hope you die in the battle with You Know Who! I'll finally get what's coming to me...what I've earned by being your friend all these years!"

Harry turned and walked away from his friend of seven years. He couldn't believe that Ron would say something like that...that he hoped Harry would die. He knew that both Ron and Hermione had been pulling away since they started dating, but hadn't thought it was because of Ron's jealousy...or maybe it was jealousy on both of their parts; after all, Hermione _**had**_ said that she wasn't sure Harry wasn't doing everything for more fame for himself. Harry ran to the room of requirement, slamming the door behind him and casting all sorts of locking spells on the door.

_Harry? I know you're upset, but you need to calm down...please?_

**~I _HATE_ him! I thought that emotion was reserved for Voldemort, but I hate him!~**

_I'm not too fond of him right now either._

**~I wish that I could see you for once. I really need someone to hold on to right now.~**

Harry looked up and there was a shimmering light in front of him. As he watched, the light solidified and he was staring himself in the eyes. Only it wasn't him, this man was...different.

"Harrison?"

The man nodded slowly, as if not believing what was happening. "Yeah...how can the Room do this?"

"I don't know." Harry dove into Harrison's arms and held him with all the strength he could muster. He felt weak without Harrison sharing the same body, but, for once he could see his twin and hold him. This would be the only chance he would ever have to hold his brother; Voldemort was going to take that away from him soon enough. He felt Harrison's arms tighten around him and they both shook with the force of their sobs as they sank to the floor. 

~OOooOO~

Charlie paced the floor in agitation; it had been a half an hour since Voldemort's spell had taken Harry and now he was waiting for Harrison to be portkeyed to him. He hadn't thought it would take this long, had thought that it would only be a few minutes. Charlie had been at the battle just long enough to see Harrison stand after being hit with the killing curse; he knew that Harrison would be devastated by Harry's death, but they'd had almost two years to come to terms with the fact that it was going to happen.

A loud pop sounded throughout the room and Harrison appeared; as he dropped to the floor, Charlie ran to his husband and held him to his chest. He rocked Harrison back and forth as he sobbed hysterically.

"He's gone, Charlie! Harry's gone! I knew it was going to happen, but...God! This is so hard!"

"I know, Love, I know. I can't replace him, but you know that I'm here for you."

"I know, Charlie...this just hurts more than I thought it would. I thought that I was prepared for this."

"Harrison, Love, you can't ever be prepared for the death of someone you've shared a body with for the last almost fourteen years. It's going to take some time."

"Just hold me, Charlie...just hold me." 

~OOooOO~

"How are we doing this, Love?"

"You're going in with your family and I'm going in once everyone is inside. The element of surprise and all..."

"True. Give me a kiss and I'll get going." They shared a quick and entirely unsatisfying kiss.

"I'll see you there, Love."

 

 

**(1)-From Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone**

 


End file.
